While law school may offer an education in foundational legal theory, young lawyers learn the practicalities of the profession in the trenches. Three years in the classroom digesting and applying case law, discussing legal theory through the Socratic method, and even time spent working in legal clinics simply does not translate directly to the practice of law. Thus, a need exists to bridge the gap between the fledgling attorney fresh out of the nest to seasoned counsel capable of tackling challenging problems and seeing around corners to predict pitfalls. How does one morph from neophyte to veteran? Mentor up!

Borrowing  Experience

The primary factor lacking in a young attorney straight out of law school obviously proves to be experience in the field. Experience can be accomplished with time, hard work and venturing into new frontiers, but the experience can also be borrowed. From who? Your mentor. If you have done your job when selecting a mentor or mentors to guide you through the early years of your legal journey, you likely have chosen a mentor or mentors with a significant edge in experience.

When encountering unfamiliar terrain in the course of your early practice, lean on your mentor and borrow from your mentor’s years of experience. This is when the theory discussions previously limited to the classroom can be adapted to practical scenarios seen in the courtroom. A young attorney should seek out a mentor before venturing into a new situation to limit uncertainty and apprehension.

Experienced attorneys remember plenty of their firsts, including live testimony in the courtroom, a medical deposition or counseling a client face-to-face. Without a doubt, the feeling of accomplishment achieved by overcoming such hurdles yields memories that last the lifetime of a career. To ensure those memories prove to be positive ones, formulate a strategy, borrowing from your mentor’s experience, in order to guarantee success. Odds are, your mentor has seen your scenario on countless occasions and can provide insightful advice aimed to steer you in the right direction.

That being said, also be sure to discuss your uncertainties and insecurities in conquering new obstacles with your mentor as a means to build confidence. Your mentor has likely experienced a variety of different circumstances that may develop in the courtroom or a deposition and can advise you of unwelcomed pitfalls to avoid. If you are unsure or anxious, your mentor will be able to imbue you with the experience needed to build confidence and increases the odds of success.

Developing Personal Style

Coming out of the gate from law school leaves young attorneys with little style. This does not apply to how you dress (well, maybe), but rather relates to how you counsel clients, handle yourself in a courtroom and interact with other attorneys. Likely your mentor or mentors have done plenty of all of the above and should be able to provide you with valuable insight, assisting you in honing your personal style.

Given that style is unique to the individual, it pays to follow a number of mentors in developing style, pulling traits from each mentor that are suitable for you. An unyielding litigator can teach you to weather the storm when confronted with an adversary aiming to shake your confidence as a young attorney. Such a mentor can show you how to hold your ground in a professional manner, maintain the respect of your opponent, and achieve desirable results for your client while under pressure.

In addition, a different type of mentor may reveal to you the intricacies associated with the diplomatic approach in handling an opponent. Such an approach demonstrates that aggression and brute force do not often bring about the most desired result and often create more problems than solutions. Observe your mentor’s diplomacy in action, working with an opponent to reach efficient, beneficial results for your client rather than delving deeper into a dispute causing you to stray from your client’s ultimate goals. Through the experience of a diplomatic mentor, you will soon learn to ride the smooth lines to your client’s benefits and avoid rocky obstacles preventing you from achieving the results your client desires.

Aside from managing adversaries, style also comes into play when interacting with clients. A variety of mentors will likely provide you with a multitude of methods to communicate with clients. Take notes from each in developing your style to keep clients abreast of a case’s status and deliver legal advice in a manner that is digestible and usable for the layperson or even a more sophisticated client, making it possible for the client to render pivotal decisions in an informed and intelligent manner.

Building a Book of Business

Law school in the overwhelming majority of instances falls short of providing a young attorney with the skillset needed in order to manage the business side of the practice. During the first few years of practice, the young attorney aims to develop a library of legal knowledge within an area of practice and hone skills required to execute the various tasks associated with managing a caseload. Venturing beyond that point, the young attorney will be seeking to build a book of business of his own and the backing of a mentor can prove to be invaluable.

Seeking out clients and building a book of business proves to be a daunting task for many young attorneys aiming to expand upon this facet of the legal practice. Where to start and how to go about the process of acquiring clients benefits from the guidance of someone who has journeyed the path before. Accordingly, be sure to question your mentor and listen to advice pertaining to the business aspect of the practice.

This means, a mentor can offer the framework to building a successful marketing campaign in an effort to expand your personal clientele. Whether it may be through speaking engagements, writing opportunities, or attending industry-specific gatherings, a mentor can provide the young attorney with the direction needed in order to make the most use of time spent searching out clients. Your mentor will be able to offer guidance in directing your marketing efforts to meet your personal goals. In addition to building a client base, your mentor will also be able to offer direction in maintaining and evolving current clients into institutional ones, the type who will stay with you and your firm beyond your years of practice.

Conclusion

Life after law school does not need to equate to an adventure into the unknown when guided by mentors. While portions of the legal practice can be learned in a classroom, a perhaps even larger portion is developed through an apprenticeship shared with a seasoned mentor. Every young attorney should find mentors to assist with the growing pains associated with the early years of practice. Developing such a relationship will extend well after the initial learning curve and provide a trusted ear to listen when new situations are encountered in all aspects of the legal practice.

Lucas Csovelak is an associate in Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby’s Harrisburg office. He defends employers, insurance companies and third-party administrators in workers’ compensation matters. He can be reached at [email protected].